MG ute confirmed for Oz

A dual-cab ute is “100 per cent coming” from MG Australia in the coming years with a number of powertrain options to ensure it’s ready to battle the popular Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger, as well as the new breed of electrified pick-ups like the plug-in hybrid BYD Shark 6.

According to the Chinese brand’s local boss Peter Ciao, MG won’t be able to hit its ambitious Aussie sales goals – top-five-brand by 2027, top-three by 2030 – without an appealing product in the lucrative mid-sized pick-up segment.

“A ute is 100 per cent coming,” he told carsales at last week’s media launch of the new 2024 MG ZS Hybrid.

Ciao wouldn’t be drawn as to when the light commercial offering would arrive, but confirmed it would be “an all-new product” and “totally different” to the MG Extender – a rebadged version of the current LDV T60 Max.

“The model will have all the technology resource; so if a hybrid is necessary for this market, we will provide,” he said.

“But let me tell you, without a ute, you’ll never get a chance to be in the top three.”

The safe money would be on MG rebranding the inbound LDV Terron 9 as one of its own, seeing as both brands are part of the SAIC Group.

However, Ciao’s touting of a hybrid powertrain could point to an all-new model for the wider group and not just MG.

Both the turbo-diesel and battery-electric versions of the LDV Terron 9 are earmarked for Australia and due to arrive early 2025, with a camouflaged evaluation vehicle having been spotted near Newcastle last week.

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